Abstract

Plant products play a significant role in human diet as they maintain human health and improve the quality of life. The health-promoting effects of plant products form part of the rich history of ancient civilisations. The non-nutritive but potentially bioactive secondary metabolites in fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, teas and wines reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, age-related cognitive decline, risk of major neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and cancer. This reduced risk is associated with the most commonly consumeddietary phytochemicals. Metabolic syndrome has been classically defined as the clustering of interrelated risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type2 diabetes including hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hypertension, hypertriglyceridaemia, decreased HDL-cholesterol concentration and obesity. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is reaching pandemic proportions worldwide with diets rich in saturated fat, cholesterol and refined carbohydrates implicated in the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. From a dietary perspective, a plant-based diet couldtherefore serve as an alternative intervention for the prevention or treatment of metabolic syndrome. We have previously reviewed the possible therapeutic responses of commonly consumed Indian spices in metabolic syndrome. This review evaluates the effects of further frequently-used medicinal and dietary plants from the Indian sub-continent on the risk factors of metabolic syndrome using data from controlled human, animal and in vitro studies. The major bioactive constituents of these plants, mostly identified as herbs, are also discussed.